FIGHT TO FISH FOREVER

PROTECTING OUR HOME | C. MCGLASHAN

I pretty much grew up on a boat. Dad’s job meant we were out on the water a lot. We’ve been everywhere , from the Blue Mountains and Sydney Harbour, to so far out in the ocean that you can see the land start to hide beneath the horizon. I went from wanting to go fishing, to needing to go fishing I became obsessed with everything we saw and did. Every day was unique with so many experiences We caught unusual fish, saw the world's apex predators hunt, witnessed some of the biggest fish the world has to offer first-hand and yet that passion (or perhaps obsession) never waned. If anything, it still continues to grow I’m not sure if there is a word for something beyond an obsession, but that’s what I have.

Coming into Year 12, most of my time that was typically spent fishing was taken away. Instead, I was sitting in a room for hours looking at a computer aiming to get decent marks in my next exam. For someone who basically grew up in the outdoors it was like being caged. And so, every time I had the opportunity to get back to the boat or even just go down the river for a fish, it felt like I had come home after a long day’s work. Because that is essentially what my obsession had become a metaphorical home.

Do not fear though, this article isn’t some soppy tale about my ‘home’ or anything like that Instead, I would like to explore the effect humanity has, and continues to have, on one of the most complex and important systems in the world: the ocean. And be warned some of it is a bit confronting.

We all know that Earth’s surface is 71% water. I’m also sure that we are aware of the crucial role the ocean plays in supporting the environment around us and putting food on the table.

Yet, at the end of the day, the ocean is a finicky system that has developed over millions of years and now rests in a delicate balance For a long time, this balance was undisturbed However, in the past 100 years, that has changed. Humanity has developed the capabilities to permanently alter ecosystems, and damage the environment

To make matters worse, the ocean is a big thing It covers an unimaginable area and reaches unbelievable depths, hiding much of it from our view. It is easy enough to go out to the beach and look at the surface and notice nothing out of the ordinary. But who knows what is happening underneath? Scientists still know very little about the ocean, and that is where much of the issue stems from. How are we supposed to protect our oceans when we know so little about it? The answer, as we press forward into the future, will involve a highly determined search for answers.

The first thing people think of when we talk about harming our oceans is plastic and liquid pollution Whilst this most obvious issue is serious, from my perspective as a fisher, it tends to overshadow a lot of other significant problems.

Fishing can decimate fish stocks to the brink of extinction and completely upset the balance of our waters when poorly managed. Take the Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) as an example.

Being one of the most prized fish in the Japanese markets and one of the most expensive, foreign commercial boats, mainly Japanese, were allowed into Australian waters by our government to farm these animals These boats targeted the breeding stock as they were bigger, fatter, and of the best quality Meanwhile, our own commercials were targeting the juvenile fish, hitting the population from both sides, and decimating the species down to about 2% of their former population. Fortunately, sustainable fishers and environmental activists saw this happening, and fought against these practices, until finally, they were banned from Australian waters. Since then, we have seen a huge increase in SBT numbers In fact, they have done so well that they have been taken off the endangered species list

I have always loved that story It is proof that through proper management and research, fishing doesn't need to be a bad thing Instead, it can be a force for good.

Fishing is how we learn about these animals and how we can help them to thrive Part of my dad’s work is exactly that. Recently, we were given satellite tags to attach to the fish we catch, allowing for researchers to track their movements, approximate breeding locations, identify migration patterns, and follow general habits of certain species This is powerful data and will undoubtedly play a significant role in future conservation efforts

This has seriously changed the game for us, and as a human community we have started to learn about fish that, not so long ago, we knew nothing about. For example, Marlin, one of the most sought-after game fish in the world, is still fairly unresearched in the grand scheme of things Similarly, we have only just scratched the tip of the iceberg with Swordfish Through the research being done, we can develop new methods to better manage humanity’s impact on the ocean, so that the next generation can experience what we have The ocean is a privilege, not a right. So, we must look after it It has been my home, and hopefully, it can be theirs too.